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Topic: Late teen baby shower: Ideas PLEASE! (Read 4932 times)

I think it's wonderful that you're so supportive of your goddaughter. However, I think you are getting ahead of yourself a bit. Most showers aren't held until much closer to the due date. I don't think you should really begin planning for another couple of months at least. That will give her the opportunity to figure some things out (find a new job, maybe find a new living situation, etc.) and give you a better idea of what she may need.

When the time does come, invite as many people as you can. I love the idea of having a crafty party where you provide baby linens/clothing and the guests decorate them. Some guests may also enjoy making little toys.

Another idea: have a "nursery raising" party. The guests can come by to help get the nursery ready (painting, assembling furniture, stocking the changing table, etc.). Getting ready for a baby is a lot of work and your goddaughter will probably need some help.

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OP here; She lives with her father; he's raised her by his self from the age 1. Unfortunately for where we grew up the girls are all too familiar with WIC etc.. There is a really nice 2 year life coaching program that we found and I am hopeful that she enters that. The child's father...well, after the DNA test proves it is his, then the state will chase him for child support. When it comes to adoption, she actually told me that she considered letting my husband and I adopt it (I was shocked but pleased she thought of that for us), however, since she heard the heartbeat shes in complete love.

As for the shower: I love love LOVE the decorating the onsie idea!! That is seriously perfect for her friends.. I've got the word out for baby items and I think we will have quite a bit once we know the sex of the baby. Obviously things like a crib, strollers etc are unisex. Thank you everyone for your input!! She is very worried about having things for the baby..wanted to do a combo birthday/baby shower in 3 weeks but she'd only be 4 months along..

There are programs that will provide carseats to people who need them. Look for carseat checks in your area and/or call some police departments, hospitals, or fire departments and one of them will likely know who has free seats. As a bonus, at a seat check event, a child passenger safety technician will show her how to install the seat and make sure she knows how to do it herself in case she ever needs to switch cars or take it out and reinstall it.

Contact Catholic Charities. They will not care what religion you are or try to convert you...what they will do is help you get in touch with the folks who can help you get that young lady all the things she needs for the baby. Most Catholic dioceses ( every one I have even a passing knowledge of) have out reaches and diocese wide baby item collections that are then distributed to those who need them. Every thing from clothes to car seats...and if they don't have it -they will know who does.

Courtsmad25, You haven't said whom you would invite to a shower. This is a concern since some of the MTB's handful of friends may decline because they can't afford a gift. Is the MTB eager for a shower because she wants things for the baby or because she would like to celebrate the upcoming birth with people she cares about? It sounds like many of the things the baby needs will be coming from outside sources, although they could be presented as gifts at a shower.

If MTB would enjoy a celebration with her friends, I suggest something unconventional. Don't call it a shower. Call it a luncheon or a party. Go ahead with the fun and games, such as decorating onesies, but don't open gifts. Invitations to her friends could say something like, "In lieu of gifts, please write down some parenting tips that we will put into a scrapbook". Starting a scrapbook or baby book could be one of the activities.

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Contact Catholic Charities. They will not care what religion you are or try to convert you...what they will do is help you get in touch with the folks who can help you get that young lady all the things she needs for the baby. Most Catholic dioceses ( every one I have even a passing knowledge of) have out reaches and diocese wide baby item collections that are then distributed to those who need them. Every thing from clothes to car seats...and if they don't have it -they will know who does.

What about just hosting a lunch when she is closer to her due date? Her friends could come, they could do the fantastic onesie decorating (seriously one of my fav baby shower games) they could have a nice afternoon without the "bring gifts" aspect of the shower since they are all struggling.

A group of women I know throw "Crazy Auntie showers" for young moms in their community. Instead of inviting the M2B's family and friends, the Crazy Aunties just invite the young woman and one of her friends. The party's short, to avoid social awkwardness on the part of the M2B. The food's focused on the tastes of the youngsters, ie pizza instead of tea cakes. The Aunties' bring letters of encouragement and non-judgy advice for the honoree. The shower's host (it's a rotating duty) finds out what the family needs especially, and the Aunties work out who will be responsible for what purchases. Sometimes they buy things like good, used car seats with pooled funds; other times it's a ton of diapers in different sizes. They also come up with one gift that's sentimental and keepsake-y: a gorgeous scrapbook, a hand-made afghan, etc. Their attitude about the latter is that sometimes poor kids get crappy stuff. Every kid needs something that says they're deeply valued.

Everybody shows up in casual clothes, gobbles up some pizza, and sends off the new mom with a car full of useful gifts and, hopefully a heart full of happy feelings, in just over an hour.

Do you have close friends who might be interested in participating in a little act of charity with you? I think this could be gracefully cast as an opportunity to do an act of kindness rather than a weird invitation to a party where you don't know anyone and you have to spend money.